Good Will Hunting (1997)

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writers (WGA):

Matt Damon (written by) &
Ben Affleck (written by)

Release Date:

9 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Some people can never believe in themselves, until someone believes in them.

Plot:

Will Hunting, a janitor at MIT, has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.

Plot Keywords:

Janitor | Genius | Mathematics | Jail | Professor

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 35 nominations

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Sean Maguire
Matt Damon	...	Will Hunting
Ben Affleck	...	Chuckie Sullivan
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Prof. Gerald Lambeau
Minnie Driver	...	Skylar
Casey Affleck	...	Morgan O'Mally
Cole Hauser	...	Billy McBride
John Mighton	...	Tom - Lambeau's Teaching Assistant
Rachel Majorowski	...	Krystyn
Colleen McCauley	...	Cathy
Matt Mercier	...	Barbershop Quartet #1
Ralph St. George	...	Barbershop Quartet #2
Rob Lynds	...	Barbershop Quartet #3
Dan Washington	...	Barbershop Quartet #4
Alison Folland	...	M.I.T. Student #1

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language, including some sex-related dialogue.

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | USA:R (certificate #35614) | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 (cut) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Brazil:14 | Chile:14 | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Israel:PG | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Be Gentlemen Limited Partnership

Trivia:

The mathematical equations seen in the opening credits are part of a math technique called "Fourier Analysis" which approximates functions by sines and cosines. It's used a lot in physics and engineering.

Goofs:

Continuity: Raindrops appear and disappear several times from the car windows of the four friends right before they get into a fight.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lambeau: Mod fx... squared... dx. So please finish Parceval, by next time. I know many of you had this as undergraduates, but it won't hurt to brush up.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "HBO First Look: The Making of 'The Mexican' (#8.1)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Tommy Bhetty's Waltz

"Whatever blows your hair back" - This movie does it for me!

This is the best movie I have seen since the Godfather. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck make a great team...not only as actors, but more impressively as co-writers. Add Robin Williams in perhaps his best role ever (too close to Good Morning Vietnam for me to make the call), and you have a wonderfully entertaining movie.

Ben Affleck is convincing as the best friend to a genius, able to effectively play the joker and the friend who would "lay down in traffic for you". Matt Damon's portrayal of that genius realizing that life has something more to offer than batting cages and bars is equally stunning. And Robin Williams certainly leaves nothing to be desired (except maybe a beard trimmer...).

The most amazing thing about this movie is the writing. Even if the acting were not terrific, this movie still would have made my top ten list. I was captivated from beginning to end.

If you've not seen it, Good Will Hunting is without doubt a "renter", and I think after seeing it, it's one you'll want to own to watch again and again.